Prince of Darkness

The fourth and (currently) final book in the Justin de Quincy series finds Justin helping Prince John. When former love, Lady Claudine, tricks Justin into a meeting with King Richard's treacherous brother, Prince John, he is angry and feels betrayed. However, Justin's first loyalty is to Queen Eleanor so he stays and listens to John's request. Prince John has learned through a former lover that he's being suspected of a plot to kill King Richard. The reader may wonder, so what else is new....John has a long history of plots to kill Richard. In this case, John declares he is innocent and believes the plot is actually being carried out by his sister-in-law Constance, widow of his dead brother Geoffrey and mother to his nephew, Arthur, six show more year old heir to the throne. Prince John is determined to prove his innocence and needs Justin to help.

This was my favorite of the four books and, as usual, Justin becomes involved in all manner of intrigue. The story is set in both England and France and Justin's investigation leads him to Mont St. Michel. One of the best parts of the book is that Justin is forced to team up with longtime nemesis, Durand de Curzon, and fans of the series will get new insight into their relationship. I love the way the author incorporates the murder investigation into the real political and historical events of the time. If you think Sharon Kay Penman has lowered her historical authenticity on this series you would be wrong. It's a very fast paced, suspenseful, tightly plotted and intriguing story and I hope sometime down the road the author gets a chance to pick it up again. show less

The fourth and (currently) final book in the Justin de Quincy series finds Justin helping Prince John. When former love, Lady Claudine, tricks Justin into a meeting with King Richard's treacherous brother, Prince John, he is angry and feels betrayed. However, Justin's first loyalty is to Queen Eleanor so he stays and listens to John's request. Prince John has learned through a former lover that he's being suspected of a plot to kill King Richard. The reader may wonder, so what else is new....John has a long history of plots to kill Richard. In this case, John declares he is innocent and believes the plot is actually being carried out by his sister-in-law Constance, widow of his dead brother Geoffrey and mother to his nephew, Arthur, six show more year old heir to the throne. Prince John is determined to prove his innocence and needs Justin to help.

This was my favorite of the four books and, as usual, Justin becomes involved in all manner of intrigue. The story is set in both England and France and Justin's investigation leads him to Mont St. Michel. One of the best parts of the book is that Justin is forced to team up with longtime nemesis, Durand de Curzon, and fans of the series will get new insight into their relationship. I love the way the author incorporates the murder investigation into the real political and historical events of the time. If you think Sharon Kay Penman has lowered her historical authenticity on this series you would be wrong. It's a very fast paced, suspenseful, tightly plotted and intriguing story and I hope sometime down the road the author gets a chance to pick it up again. show less

An entertaining historical fiction, more adventure than mystery. There's a murder, and hidden motives, but no real detection, and so few suspects that a random guess has 50% chance of being right. What makes the novel worthwhile is the historical context -- 12th century England, during Prince John's reign while King Richard was off to the Crusades. Sorry, Robin Hood does not appear. The author's end note makes much of the fact that at this time in history, the kings of England often spoke no English. The hero of this and three previous books is Justin de Quincy, the Queen's Man. But Francophobes should fear not -- no French appears, even in short phrases, that I can recall.

If you have not read any of the books in this series, as I had show more not, this is NOT a good place to start. The first quarter of the book is basically one spoiler after another, as connections to the previous novels are made. After that slow start, things move well.

Recommend for mystery fans who have a higher bar for solid writing than for a challenging mystery, but not as your first encounter with Mr. de Quincy. show less

This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaway

Sharon Kay Penman is known for her historical novels and has also written several medieval mysteries at the time of Queen Eleanor and King Richard involving Justin de Quincy. This is the fourth mystery but the first I have read. And I need not have worried about missing the details of the first three since the author brings us up to speed quickly. In this book, there is a plot to discredit Prince John and Justin is asked to unravel the mess with a cast of historical as well as fictional characters.

Although this was not as good as the Brother Cadfael mysteries by Ellis Peters, it was an enjoyable read.

I've heard that the four medieval mysteries of which this is the last wasn't as successful as Penman's other books and no more are planned. Which I find a shame. I wasn't impressed with the first two books in the series. I thought the resolution and culprits predictable and Penman herself said in one author's note she wasn't completely comfortable at first dealing with completely fictional characters. The series grew on me though, and I think she grew in her skill in this genre.

I wouldn't put this up there with Ellis Peter's Brother Cadfael tales, never mind Eco's Name of the Rose. For that matter, no I don't think these rival Penman at her best. Her "The Sunne in Splendour" and "Here Be Dragons" are favorites of mine I'd rate five show more stars--these are definitely not in that league. But they are enjoyable and Justin de Quincy has become a friend I'm sorry to leave. Never mind it's a chance to spend time with her Eleanor of Aquitaine and John, the "Prince of Darkness" himself. I suspect that was one allure in writing this. I know having read her trilogy about Henry II and Eleanor I was drawn to reading this series became I didn't want to leave this world--and I'm sorry there'll be no more of them. Although it is a treat to see Justin and Durand inserted in her long historical fiction novel, "A King's Ransom" which I'm reading now. show less

This book is about the plot of would-be King John & French King Philippe to keep King Richard Lionheart prisoner of Germany. Justin d'Quincy is the "Queen's Man" and is brought into the fray by John in order to protect himself from a forged document stating that he, John, is plotting to kill King Richard.

With no interest in helping John, Justin reluctantly agrees to find the truth of the document when he finds that his Queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine is also at risk.

The book has many twists and turns; from Brittany, Paris, Mont St. Michele, and back again... it is about the darkness of the times and of the hearts of the men that would rule. There was also quite a bit of violence as the characters grappled for power.

I found the story quite show more compelling and I read it one day... but I did not really like the characters fictional or otherwise, Royalty or not, most were quite bloodthirsty & distasteful.... I also found the story quite long. show less

I've read most of Ms. Penman's historical novels and loved them. So I decided to try one of her historical mysteries and picked up this one.
Justin de Quincey works for Eleanor of Aquitaine usually but in this book, he is mostly working for her son, Prince John. There is a plot to implicate John (not difficult as he's usually working some treason against his brother Richard), but in this case, he's innocent. Justin travels in Brittany in an attempt to find the evidence to clear John's name.
I enjoyed the book, but not nearly so much as her books like The Sunne in Splendor or the Welsh prince trilogy. This is apparently the fourth book in the series, but it wasn't difficult to pick up the story and identify the characters who must have show more appeared in the previous books. The story was okay, not all that much of a mystery though in my opinion. Still, it's a fine read for historical fiction readers. show less